Nadia Kahf becomes first-headscarf wearing judge in New Jersey

After a 12 months of ready, Nadia Kahf, a household regulation and immigration legal professional from Wayne, has develop into the primary headscarf-wearing girl to function a state Superior Court docket choose within the Passaic County, United States (US) of New Jersey.

After being appointed to her new place in New Jersey, Kahf took an oath on Tuesday, March 21, by urgent her hand on the Holy Quran inherited from her grandmother.

“I’m proud to symbolize the Muslim and Arab communities in New Jersey in america (US). I need the youthful technology to see that they’ll apply their faith with out concern that they are often who they’re. Variety is our energy, it isn’t our weak point,” Nadia stated throughout a sworn-in ceremony.

Watch the video under

Kahf’s nomination, which got here a 12 months in the past however was delayed by Senator Kristen Corrado. She was confirmed earlier this month. 

Know extra about Nadia Kahf

Nadia Kahf immigrated to the United States (US) from Syria when she was 2-year-old.

She has been working within the nation’s Islamic foundations for a very long time.

Since 2003, she has been a member of the board of administrators for the New Jersey chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, an Islamic civil rights group the place she now serves as chair of the board.

Kahf serves as president of the Islamic Middle of Passaic County, one of many state’s largest mosques.

She can be authorized counsel for Wafa Home, a nonprofit home violence and social service company primarily based in Clifton.

In 2020, New Jersey’s Insider newspaper ranked her among the many high Muslims for affect in academia and enterprise, authorities, regulation and politics, faith, social justice, and extra.

Nadia just isn’t the primary Muslim choose

Kahf grew to become the primary state choose within the US to put on a scarf, however she just isn’t the primary Muslim choose.

There are Muslim ladies judges working in several components of america.

Nadia Kahf would be the third Muslim girl to serve on the New Jersey Supreme Court docket, which hears each prison and civil instances.

Sharifa Salaam serves as Supreme Court docket justice in Essex and Kalimah Ahmad in Hudson.

With this achievement, Kahf follows within the footsteps of different Muslim ladies who’ve achieved success within the authorized subject.

In June 2022, Laila Ikram made historical past by taking the bench as the primary feminine Muslim choose within the state of Arizona.

In January 2023, US President Joe Biden chosen eight judicial candidates, together with Nusrat Chaudhry who would be the first Muslim girl to function a federal choose.